Physiology
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Physiology occupation series (code 0413): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
In the Biological Sciences Group family, Physiology counts 248 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.6% from the prior period; pay averages $133,887, which pays above the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 248
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $133,887
- Avg tenure
- 14.3 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Physiology
0.0% of the federal civilian workforce (1,953,300 employees total, June 2026) works in the Physiology occupation (OPM code 0413): 248 people, headcount down -1.6% versus the prior period, though at this small a headcount, year-to-year swings can reflect a handful of hires or departures rather than a broad hiring trend.
Physiology pays $133,887 per year on average, moving down -0.1% from the prior period (a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change). Employees in this role stay an average of 14.3 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
The Biological Sciences Group family (code 04) groups Physiology together with 30 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Physiology postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Biological Sciences Group family.
Within the Biological Sciences Group family, Physiology ranks #22 of 31 by headcount, accounting for 0.4% of the family's combined 67,961 employees.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Physiology pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$133,887
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+14.1%
Where Physiology ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $133,887 is higher than 78% of federal occupation series (422 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Physiology sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Physiology ranks higher than 78%.
Related Occupations in Biological Sciences Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences | 23,662 | $124,641 | 14 yrs |
| Forestry Technician | 11,090 | $61,659 | 8.7 yrs |
| Wildland Fire Management | 9,667 | $64,457 | 7 yrs |
| Biological Science Technician | 5,212 | $56,618 | 8.9 yrs |
| Soil Conservation | 4,101 | $89,391 | 13.8 yrs |
| Wildlife Biology | 1,868 | $95,468 | 16.3 yrs |
| Fish Biology | 1,629 | $116,550 | 16.2 yrs |
| Microbiology | 1,629 | $143,306 | 16.3 yrs |
| Forestry | 1,626 | $88,902 | 15.1 yrs |
| Ecology | 989 | $122,664 | 16.1 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Physiology outside the Biological Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (248 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($133,887 here).
Key takeaways
- Physiology pays above the federal average by 14.1% ($133,887 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 78th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 248 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.6% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Physiology ranks #387 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Within the Biological Sciences Group family, Physiology ranks #22 of 31 by headcount, accounting for 0.4% of the family's combined 67,961 employees.
OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.